2 Cor. 11:20. when someone devours, when someone robs,
Do you see that he presents them as fleecing others? For this is what is expressed by the word "devours." Thus, what he said above as well: "wherein they glory," he said well; since, pretending not to take anything, they only boasted, but were not actually such in reality.
2 Cor. 11:20. when someone exalts himself,
That is, those who subjugate you and exalt themselves over you; for even as masters they were not gentle, but burdensome and oppressive.
2 Cor. 11:20. When someone strikes you in the face.
2 Cor. 11:21. I speak to our shame,
Here is the highest degree of humiliation of the Corinthians and the arrogance of the false apostles, for the false apostles treated them like slaves. He says this not because they were actually struck in the face, but because they suffered no less than those who are struck in the face. He said this with their haughtiness in mind; for what can be more shameful than that the false apostles, taking away their freedom, possessions, and honor, treated them like slaves?
2 Cor. 11:21. that we lacked the strength for this.
For what reason, he says, do you endure them? As if we are weak and cannot treat you in exactly the same way? No. For we too can treat you with the same arrogance; but we do not wish this at all. Thus, he places all the blame for the audacity of the false apostles upon the servility of the Corinthians. For you, he says, through your overly slavish submission, are the cause both of their arrogance and of these words of ours.
2 Cor. 11:21. But if anyone dares to boast of anything, then (I speak in foolishness) I dare also.
Look, he again calls his action boldness and foolishness, and all but says: I proceed to this out of necessity. And how many other qualifications did he present before this? He does this, teaching us not to resort to such speeches without necessity. So, he says: but if anyone dares to boast of anything, I dare also; for the word "boast" is understood by itself. Then he enumerates the things in which they boast.
2 Cor. 11:22. Hebrews are they? so am I. Israelites? so am I.
Since not all Hebrews were Israelites (for the Moabites and Ammonites also passed themselves off as Israelites), purifying the superiority of his lineage, he adds the following as well.
2 Cor. 11:22. The seed of Abraham? So am I.
Referring to Isaac.
2 Cor. 11:23. Christ's servants? I speak as a fool: I am more.
Some say that he should not have expressed these words in the form of a comparison, but should have said directly that they are not ministers of Christ. We answer that he showed this with a single word, calling them false apostles. Now, having begun a comparative discourse, he presents a clear (δια των πραγμάτων) indication of the same thing and gives the listener to understand that he himself is truly a minister of Christ, while they are not. Therefore he says that even if they are ministers of Christ, in this too I surpass them. And again he calls his own words foolishness, out of immeasurable humility.
2 Cor. 11:23. I was far more in labors, immeasurably in wounds, more in prisons,
He enumerates the distinguishing marks of the apostles, and, setting aside signs, he begins with trials. I undertake, he says, many labors, going from one place to another, teaching day and night, working with my own hands meanwhile, and, what is more important, enduring beatings and excessive ones at that, and, what is still higher, being subjected along with the beatings to imprisonment. The words "far more" stand in the comparative degree and express a comparison with the false apostles. He speaks as if hypothetically: let us suppose that they labor, but I labor "far more." Some, however, maintain that these words express not a comparison, but signify only a great quantity and the highest degree.
2 Cor. 11:23. and many times near death.
Not only by seemingly dying, but also by being exposed to dangers that truly threatened death.
2 Cor. 11:24. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one,
Why only one less? There existed a law according to which anyone who received more than forty strikes was stripped of honor. Why was it determined to give forty minus one, that is, thirty-nine? So that if the one striking, getting carried away, gave an extra blow, he would still have given no more than forty, and the one being beaten would not lose his honor, since even in that case he would have been subjected to the lawful number of strikes.
2 Cor. 11:25. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned,
Luke did not record for us everything that Paul endured, for you see that he omitted much of what is enumerated here; because he labored in his writing not for the glorification of himself.